AAR [3M] “Axe” him no questions. He will tell you no lies 2020-06-22 @ 20:00 GMT

[Xzandrate]

LFG: “Axe” him no questions. He will tell you no lies
Time: 2020-06-22@ 20:00 GMT (4pm EDT)
GM: Xzandrate
Difficulty: 3 Medium

Rumor: A sad day has come where we morn the falling of Ursal the Axemaster. Known by his close friends as Axie. He will be sorely missed by his adventuring family and the praise of how an axe is the best weapon of choice to use will be always be praised and remembered. It is now, with a sad heart, that I take the time to return his axe and his belongings to his family so that he can be honoured.

Location: The Broken Spire Moot
Requestor: Azurea
Reward: Death Cheat Charm
Benefit: Returning an axe to my best friend's family who has joined me from the beginning. He will be sadly missed

[bronzemountain]

Name: A'horangi Ha'hana Syrtis
ECR: 3
Discipline: Monk
Quote/Unique: "Respectfully, I must now punch you."
Notable Abilities: Very polite dinosaur.
Downtime: Research 1/16 (+3 for 20sp), Item History 1/16
Last Game Played: 2020-06-18 (Outfox the Foxels)
This is a secondary character. Please prioritize primaries.

[LadyDragoon]

Name: Azurea
June 18 2020:
Circle: ECR 3
Discipline: Shadow (3)
Unique: Happy go lucky attitude (or as some may call me Cheerful Sneaky Murder)
Downtime: Nothing:

[Reyntrannin]

Name: Langren
Last played: 6/18/2020
ECR: 4
Circle: 4
Discipline: Shaman
Quote/Unique: This land is a wonder, simply waiting for us to embrace its lessons.
Notable Abilities: Support and offensive magics, healing, good with animals, some investigative abilities.
Downtime:

• Animal Training (10)
• Research (9), may pay 20 sp for +3 steps due to library access

[Aegharan]

Name: Dalyor
Date of Last Game Played: 2020-06-19
Circle: 3
Discipline: Wizard
Unique: I have a social Skill!
Downtime: Research Rank 1 Step 12 (step 15 with library access)
Item History Rank 1 Step 12

Note: Secondary Character, but "my" request due to GM-Onboarding

[ottdmk]

Name: Darius Crawford
Last played: 2020-06-18
ECR: 3 (Circle 3, 2,310 LP)
Discipline: Archer
Quote/Unique: Hawk Hatchet, Bolas & Spears.
Notable Abilities: Call Missile
Downtime: Craft Weapon 3 (Step 10): Anything up to Size 3
NOTE: SECONDARY CHARACTER

[Xzandrate]

AAR: “Axe” him no questions. He will tell you no lies
GM: Xzandrate
Difficulty: 3 Medium

Alternate Rewards: 50% Troll Flight Dagger 50% Death Cheat

Player Rewards:
A'horangi: 1,400 LP, 50 SP, 3 TIPs, 1x Death Cheat Charm
Dalyor: 1,400 LP, 3 TIP, 50 sp, 1 Death Cheat Charm,
Darius: 1,400 LP, 3 TIPs, 50 sp, 1 Death Cheat Charm
Langren: 1,400 LP, 3 TIPs, 50 sp, 1 Death Cheat Charm
Azurea: 1,400 LP, 3 TIPs, 25 sp, 1 Death Cheat Charm, 1 Troll flight dagger

Journal Reward: +70 LP, 68.8 SP
GM Reward: Lazulin (200 LP, 150 SP, 3 TIP)

Downtime:
A'horangi: Research 1/16 (+3 for 20sp), Item History 1/16
Langren:Animal Training (10), Research (9) may pay 20 sp for +3
Dalyor: Research Rank 1 Step 12 (step 15 with library access), Item History Rank 1 Step 12
Darius: Craft Weapon 3 (Step 10): Anything up to Size 3

Summary: The adepts helped deliver the axe of a fallen commrade and helped the trolls honour their fallen brother.
Relations with Throal have increased. The Broken Spear moot has sent a delegation to Throal.

[Aegharan]

Ursal the Axemaster has died. It was a personal matter for Azurea to return his Axe to his people, so we set out towards the Broken Spear Moot. We were accompanied by A'horangi the T'Skrang Monk, and Darius the Human Archer. I've met Darius before, but never before or since have I seen an Archer wielding Throwing Daggers and Hawk Hatchets.

The journey towards the Moot was uneventful, although my keeping up with current events and reading journal entries detailing the flora along the way was our single indication of which path to take. This is troubling, I shall broaden my research.

At the Broken Spear Moot we were greeted and met with some distrust; seemingly it broke protocol that a Troll was killed and other races have survived. After introductions were made, we talked to Sostree Bouldercleave. The Clan's traditions dictate that the body of a fallen warrior is to be burned. Us not having the corpse with us, but him being animated as a walking corpse, us killing him again and then burning it to prevent a third time.

Since there was no body to burn they determined that we can use the current problem with crystal bears and solve a problem of the Clan while at the same time retrive a body to burn and let Ursal's spirit pass along with the Bear's spirit. The "honor" of being chosen to solve the Moot's problem was to be determined by a battle in the Arena. We are assured however that, save for some accidents, the battles are not fought to death and Healers are nearby.

After some preparation we set off into the arena and see ourselves looking at five Trolls. To be more precies, one is wielding the biggest two-handed sword I've ever seen, two more with Sword and Shield, one with Throwing Axes and one who appeared to be a Spellcaster. The battle is swift and we are victorious. We are offered to carry out the fight until one of us remains, but we politely declined.
We spent the night with Ursal's family and hear stories of his life.

We set out on the next day. Following the directions we got from the Clan, we find a bear cave and do some preparations and attuning. Langren soothes the bears, we bind two, and kill the big one. After that we take the two smaller ones back to the Moot and released them into the wilds one the next day, further down the mountain.

The burning of the bear was very emotional. I even felt the need to say something in memory of Ursal.

On the way back to Throal we were accompanied by a delegation from the Broken Spear Moot.

Please find attached notes on Troll Funeral Traditions and Crystal Bears.

[bronzemountain]

Entry 4.

Ursal of the Axe is dead.

His time as an adventurer was short, but he lived fiercely and with great devotion to his mission: to protect his friends.

Joined funeral mission with Azurea, Dalyor, Darius, and Langren, to return Ursal's beloved axe to his family. Learned family is Bouldercleave, of Broken Spear Trollmoot. Met his sister, Sostree Bouldercleave, Elementalist of the Moot, inheritor of her mother's mantle. Ursal's need to protect driven by mother's role as moot protector, compounded by lack of spellcasting.

Ursal's zeal unfortunately annoyed rest of moot. Appears they were pleased to see him go. But also sad to see him dead. Emotional life of Namegivers complex and nuanced. Outside scope of these notes. A splotch on the page, as if struck by two droplets of water.

Moot tradition is interesting. When one of their own dies, they burn the body. If body is missing or unavailable, they use animal as totemic proxy. Presumably to have animal represent the dead in spirit journey? Fascinating. Friends and moot-mates of deceased participate in ritual combat. Purpose not to do harm but find the most worthy.

We participated. We were most worthy. I did not control myself well enough. Two trolls fatally injured. Fortunately, they had been provided with blood charms that allowed them to survive. Am grateful - did not want to cause permanent harm. Azurea chosen as champion; she is troll, and also closest to Ursal. Is good and proper. Hers is the best heart.

Sostree tells us of a sleuth of bears who are causing problems. Also tells us crystal bear is Ursal's totemic animal. Tellingly convenient, but acceptable.

We go to deal with the bears. Langren's relationship with the beast world allows him to pacify them. We fight the largest of the three, as we feel it will serve as the best proxy for Ursal. I speak to the bear as we fight it. Kill it. Tell the bear that we are grateful. Bring the other two bears back so they can be released into a less problematic ecosystem. More food for them, less trouble for trolls.

The pyre is lit. The bear is burned. Its spirit sent to champion Ursal's journey into the next life. There is song. The trolls sing with heart, with throat voices. It is an ancient sound. I recite a poem I composed. Attached: Ode to an Axe, a Funeral Poem in 14 stanzas. Moment filled with emotion. Azurea is given Ursal's axe, which survives the pyre.

The next morning, troll smiths offer oversized flight daggers to Darius and Azurea. Very large knives. Seem unwieldy, but perhaps well suited to troll hands. Am perfectly satisfied with hands I was born with. No need to fling gigantic cutlery. Aerodynamic properties, supported by True Air, are quite interesting however. Designs attached.

We return to Throal safely.

[ottdmk]

Darius Crawford writes:

Well, that was different. Some adept named Ursal Bouldercleave, had died. His friend, another adept named Azurea, wanted to bring the news back to his family. (And his axe, interestingly enough.) Azurea recruited others to journey with her, including Langren & Dalyor, folks I'd met and worked with before. They wanted another hand and asked me along. All told there were five of us... a monk named A'horangi completed our party.

Azurea is interesting... follows a Discipline called Shadow. Never really heard of it before, but she specializes in throwing things just like I do. Her specialty seems to be daggers, and she can make daggers out of nothing... neat trick! Anyway, more on that later.

So, all of this involved lots of Troll rituals and everything. Seems without a body the funeral needed a bear to take the body's place. We ended up fighting a bunch of Trolls in an arena for the honour of hunting the bears. It was nice to team up with Dalyor again. He has this spell that amps up my aim considerably. It's great. Langren also had some nice benefits with his magic. Like I said once before, I'm starting to like traveling with Spellcasters.

We won the arena fight, and then went bear hunting. That went quite easily. Langren calmed the bears down and gave us a ton of time to prepare. We tied up two of them and killed the biggest (Azurea figured that would bring the most honor to her friend. Whatever.) So, we took the corpse back for the funeral, and there was a massive pyre, and all told it was quite the spectacle.

Azurea was gifted the axe she brought all the way from Throal. She was also introduced to some Troll Weaponsmiths. A dagger's ok for throwing, but the range isn't great. I get the impression her abilities only work with smaller weapons. So, these Troll Weaponsmiths showed her what looked like a flight dagger's bigger brother. (Or sister. Don't want to be sexist... not sure I could dodge all the daggers Azurea would hit me with.) I was offered the opportunity to buy, but I still like my hawk hatchets better. They also offered us a cheap Death Cheat blood charm... now *that* I took. Never know when it might come in handy.

Back to Throal we went.